Method for constructing a building including feeding a plurality of end connected column sections upwardly through a jack system



Dec. 17, 1968 F. M. ADLER 3,416,284

METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING INCLUDING FEEDING A PLURALITY 0? END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK SYSTEM 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1965 INVENTOR' FELIX M. ADLER 11 5 U L r U, u v V 9 7 2 5 2 2 I I JT/ o P- YJMKQMM/M v TTORNEY8 ec. 17, 1%8 F. M. ADLER 3,416,284

METHOD FOR GONSTRUCTING A BUILDING INCLUDING FEEDING A PLURALITY OF END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK SYSTEM Filed July 22, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FELIX M. ADLER ORNEY8 Dec. 17, W68 F. M. ADLER 6,

METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING INCLUDING FEEDING I A PLURALITY OF END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK SYSTEM 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 22, 1965 INYENTOR FELIX M. ADLER @r oRNEYi Dec. 17, 1968 F. M. ADLER 3,416,284

METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING INCLUDING FEEDING A FLURALITY OF END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK SYSTEM Filed July 22, 1965 8 Sheets- Sheet 4 FIG. 5

55 FIG. 4

' INVENTOR FELIX. M. ADLER ORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 F. M. ADLER 3,416,284

METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING INCLUDING FEEDING A PLURALITY OF END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK SYSTEM Filed July 22, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ml FELIX M. ADLER ATTORNEYS ea. 17, 19 F M. ADLER 3,415,284

METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING INCLUDING FEEDING A PLURALITY OF END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK'SYSTEM Filed July 22, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 PEG.

INVENT OR FELIX M. ADLER MM/M ATTORNEYS Dec. 17, 1968 F. M. ADLER 3,416,284

METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING INCLUDING FEEDING A PLURALITY 0F END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK SYSTEM Filed July 22, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 z FIG. 9

FIG. 10 N! ||H|| I ATTORNEYS F. M. ADLER METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING INCLUDING FEEDING A PLURALITY OF END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK SYSTEM Filed July 22, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fill is f 3WD A ORNEY3.

United States Patent 3,416,284 METHOD FOR CONSTRUCTING A BUILDING IN- CLUDING FEEDING A PLURALITY 0F END CONNECTED COLUMN SECTIONS UPWARDLY THROUGH A JACK SYSTEM Felix M. Adler, Woodlands, Birds Hill Road,

Oxshott, Surrey, England Filed July 22, 1965, Ser. No. 474,030 Claims priority, application Great Britain, July 24, 1964, 29,785/64; Sept. 3, 1964, 36,217/64 9 Claims. (Cl. 52-745) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of constructing a building comprising feeding a plurality of steel column sections, joined end-to-end, through a plurality of jacks, each jack having two gripping devices for alternately gripping the columns, and operating the jacks to raise the columns and therewith a roof and floors attached, at a single assembly level, to the columns.

This invention relates to methods of building and to apparatus for carrying out the method.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for constructing buildings, especially adapted for use in constructing buildings, having floors and roofs made of concrete slabs, but applicable also to the construction of buildings the floors and roofs of which are of materials other than concrete, such as steel, timber or any combination thereof with concrete.

In constructing buildings it is desirable that the majority of work is carried out at a low level in comparative safety and with full protection from the elements, creating working conditions suitable for the organisation of assembly lines (as known in the car or automobile industry) for the fixing, fitting and finishing of the building with all services and fixtures.

There has heretofore been disclosed a method of constructing a multi-story building which consists of constructing a floor at or near ground level, raising said floor, constructing therebeneath at said level another floor and constructing or erecting compression support means between the lifted floor and said another floor, said compression support means forming part of a central core structure for supporting the building, raising said another floor together with the already constructed part of the building thereabove, and repeating the operation until all the floors and the central core structure are constructed, the raising operations being effected by jacks positioned to lift the already constructed part of the central core structure and through it the floors which project outwardly in cantilever fashion around the central core structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved method of constructing a building using steel column sections to support the roof and floors of the building.

The present inventive method of constructing buildings comprises axially and incrementally elevatiing steel columns in end-to-end interfitting sections by hoisting apparatus embracing and gripping same, and building around column sections in intervals between lifts and at a single level the roof and the floor or floors.

The column cores are individually encased to form reinforced concrete columns or they are encased and joined into groups by reinforced concrete walls. Alternatively the column cores can be clad in some other way (non-structural) or be joined into groups of columns by structural steel bracings to form vertical trusses.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described,

by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a pile cap;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partly broken away illustrating the mounting of the base plate of a jack;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section through a jack;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section illustrating the formation of a column cladding and a roof or floor;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section illustrating roof and floor shuttering;

FIG. 7 illustrates how the fully erected building is parked;

FIG. 8 is a view corresponding to FIG. 3 of a modified form of jack;

FIG. 9 is a vertical section on the line 99 of FIG. 12 through a wedge device forming a part of one of the gripping devices of the jack shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view of a column core with which the jack of FIG. 8 can be used;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view illustrating the jack of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 of FIG. 9.

Referring now to the drawings, a twenty-one storey building is constructed by axially and incrementally elevating steel column cores in end-to-end interfitting sections by hoisting apparatus embracing and gripping same, and building around column core sections between lifts and at a single level, the column casing, the roof and the floors.

The column cores are cylindrical and the lowermost sections 20 thereof are solid. The other sections of each column core are, however, hollow and thus tubular with the wall thickness thereof each uniform in itself, gradually decreasing in the height direction of the columns.

All column cores have uniform external dimensions. The columns are strategically positioned about the building site and each is elevated at appropriate times by a hoisting apparatus or jack 24, the jacks being synchronously operated and each being mounted on four reinforced concrete plinths 25 disposed at the apices of a rectangle on a concrete pile cap 26.

Each jack includes a base plate 27 which is a solid steel slab mounted on the four plinths 25.

The latter have each a cast-in ferrule 28 which is engaged by a holding-down bolt 29 extending through a vertical bore therefor in the base plate 27.

Levelling bolts 30 also extend into the plinths through tapped bores in the base-plate 27, spirit levels 31 being shown in FIG. 2.

The column core sections 20 are presented to the jacks 24 in a vertical direction from below, and for this purpose the base plates 27 have centrally-disposed vertical cylindrical openings 32 through which a column core section can freely pass and immediately therebelow the pile caps have column-core-section feed pits 33 each consisting of a tubular vertical portion 34 of substantially greater diameter than the column core sections and of length, added to the height of the plinths a little greater than the lengths of the column core sections, and a feedin portion 35 extending laterally from the tubular portion centrally between two of the plinths, with a guide wall 36 opposite to the tubular portion and inclined downwardly and inwardly from its upper end.

Associated with each column-core-section feed pit is a feed sledge comprising a pair of parallel rails 37 of L- section located on the pile cap to bridge over the top of the feed pit 33 between the guide wall 36 and the opposite side of the pit.

A rectangular cradle 38 is mounted on the rails for sliding movement therealong and has levelling screws 39 to ensure that its upper surface 40 is horizontal.

Notches 41 of semi-circular section are provided in the upper surface centrally of its opposed sides which are parallel to the rails, the axes of the notches being in alignment.

These notches provide a trunnion [mounting for stub axles 42 extending diametrically outwards from a collar 43 which is temporarily fitted about a column core section fed into the pit in order properly to position the core section 20 in axial alignment with the opening 32 in the base plate 27.

Column core sections are fed into the pit from above and at that time a collar 43 is fitted therearound by symmetrically-disposed pinch screws so that the stub axles 42 engage in the notches 41 when a section has been lowered by the proper amount.

A protective cap 44 temporarily fitted on the lower end of a column core section being fed into a pit 33 slides on the surface of the guide wall 36 of the pit as the section is lowered until the stub axles 42 engage in the notches 41.

The cradle 38 is then slid along the rails 37 until the core section is in the proper position for connecting to that one immediately thereabove and already engaged by the jack.

FIG. 3 indicates how a typical joint between column core sections is made by a threaded locating pin 45 which is engaged in a tapped socket provided axially in the lower end of the upper one of the two sections, using a tommy bar to engage a hole 46 in the pin, and on to which is then screwed the lower of. the two sections which has an axial tapped socket for the purpose.

The bearing surfaces 47 and 48 of the two core sections are machined smooth so that they fit together impeccably.

Core sections which are at upper levels in the finished columns have closed ends when the wall thicknesses are adequate and the same jointing method is used.

However, with thinner wall thickness, a steel sleeve is engaged in the adjacent ends of the core sections to be joined and the sections are welded together.

Referring now particularly to FIG. 3, each jack 24 totrneric material.

The cylinder 50 has a socketed end 61 for seating purposes and the wedge housing seats in a locating socket 62 in the upper surface of the base plate 27, the bearing surface 63 of the socket 62 being cambered.

An upper wedge housing 64 seats on the upper end of the ram 54 and has a socketed lower end 65 for this purpose.

The housing 64 is similar to the housing 55 and coacts with a wedge device 66 similar to the wedge device 58.

Annular pressure pads 67 and 68 of elastomeric material bear on the upper ends of the wedge devices 58 and 66 respectively, and adjusting nuts 69 and 70, respectively, exert a pressure onto the pads.

Slots 71 and 72 in skirt 73 of the cylinder wall provide for access to the nut 69, and the nut 70, which is accessible, has a downwardly-extending peripheral flange 74 which is tapped to engage a thread on the upper exterior of the wall of the housing 64.

A seal 75 of elastomeric material covers the space between the top of nut 70 and the core section passing through the jack.

The double acting ram 54 is, of course, hydraulically operated, the hydraulic connections and circuits not being shown in the drawings.

When the ram is moved upwards, the upper wedge device 66 grips the column core section then in the jack and the lower wedge device is relaxed and releases the core sectionthe condition shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, the core section is raised as the ram is moved upwards.

When the ram reaches the end of its upward stroke and the stroke of the ram is reversed, the lower wedge section 58 grips the section so that it remains in the position to which it was raised and the upper wedge section 66 relaxes and travels down with the ram.

The pressure pads 67 and 68 provide a lag between one wedge section gripping and the other relaxing so that the column core section is never released by both wedge sections at the same time.

The elevation of the column core sections and hence of the columns is thus stepwise and incremental.

Columns are encased at the same time as the roof and floors are cast, shuttering units 80, 81, 82 and 83 being mounted about the core for the purpose as indicated in FIG. 5 where a floor casting bed is denoted 84.

The latter is appropriately supported in position and is apertured for passage of the columns as indicated at 85.

Into the apertures 85 project rolling devices 86 which bear on the column shuttering 80 83, provision being made in the roller mountings at 87 for adjusting the rollers 88 into proper position.

The units 80-83 fit on to one another so that they can be removed, one at a time, as the columns are elevated and fitted into their next positions about the columns.

- FIG. 6 shows a typical section through a floor or roof and shuttering therefor on a casting bed during elevation ofthe columns and with them the cast roof and floors.

The ceiling and floor shuttering comprises resilient members 90 of steel and of inverted channel section disposed in parallel relationship with small intervals between adjacent members.

Wooden battens 91 from which extend upward angularly-disposed steel prongs 92 are located in the intervals between the members prior to casting of the roof or floor 93.

As can be seen the shuttering is released from the roof or floor 93 as the latter is elevated by flexible ties 94, 95 and 96 anchored at their ends to the shuttering members 90 and an anchorage member 97 integrated with the casting bed 84.

- In the creation of the building, the pile caps 26 with their plinths 25 are first of all located and the casting bed 84 is'then constructed.

Jacks 24 are then set up in position.

-The first column core sections 20 are then inserted and elevated to the level where the roof is to be cast, and appropriate reinforcement is then fixed in position with the shuttering units 8083 and the roof and floor shuttering members 90.

The column core sections are plumbed vertically and the rollers 88 adjusted to position.

Concrete is then poured to form the column casting and the roof.

After curing of the concrete, jacking is commenced and shuttering unit 80 is removed and the first part of the next storey column reinforcement is fixed underneath together with unit 83 and a spare unit 82.

When height permits, units 82, 81 and 81 can be removed above the casting bed 84. Before jacking to storey height, units 81, 81 and 80 together with remaining reinforcement are fitted in position.

After jacking to storey height, the unit 83 is removed and the column cladding and the floor is poured. After curing of this concrete, jacking is re-comrnenced, and so In cases where no reinforced concrete encasing is re;

quired the rolling devices 86 are set to engage directly on to the face of the column core and shuttering units 80- 83 are omitted.

Connectors are then to be clamped on or stud welded to the column cores to positively engage with the floor and/ or wall structure.

FIG. 3 illustrates devices 100 for transmitting amplitude of movement of the column core to signal generators mounted on the sides of the base plates 27 whence they are relayed to a central control from which operation of the jacks 24 is synchronised.

In parking the fully erected building (see FIG. 7), connectors are to be stud welded to form hedgehog 103.

Reinforced concrete block 102 is constructed, fully encasing the hedgehog 103 and extending upwards to the undersurface of the casting bed 84.

Temporary support units 101 are rolled into position, positively located and jacked up to temporarily support concrete blocks 102.

The bottom core sections 20 are uncoupled and are withdrawn from the jacks.

The jacks are removed, concrete is poured to fill the pits 33, and reinforced concrete piers are constructed to integrate the pile caps with the blocks 102.

The support units 101 are then removed.

For very tall buildings the lower column cores are rectangular and solid as shown at 110 in FIG. 10. Other sections of each column core are shown at 111, 112 and 113, the former two being broad flange stanchions.

All sections of each column core are uniform in themselves with the longer dimension of the rectangle in plan gradually decreasing in the height direction of the column.

The short dimension K of the rectangle in plan of each column core is constant throughout the full height of the building, i.e. equals the shorter dimension of each rectangle and the width of the broad flange stanchion.

The lifting apparatus FIGS. 8, 9, l1 and 12 is modified to grip the column core :along the two races or sides which are at right angles to the constant shorter dimension faces. Many features of the modified lifting apparatus are similar to that described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 of the drawings and have the same reference numerals applied thereto with the sufiix A added.

The grip is effected by power driven wedges 120. Upper and lower gripping devices 121 and 122 cooperate in the elevation of the column core in the manner hereinbefore set forth in relation to the wedge devices 58 and 66 of the first-described embodiment.

The hydraulic blocks 123 are held by ties 124 and yokes 125 of laminated steel construction. Pins 126 are used to connect the yoke plates and tie plates to enable dismantling of the lifting apparatus after the erection of the building has been completed.

The two grips 121, 122, which together form the lifting apparatus, are supported by a pair of parallel solid steel frames 127 of which that closer to the feed pit 33 is locally interrupted in its lower limb immediately above the feed pit to allow access for column core connection.

The method of feeding, connecting, guiding, and encasing of the column cores is similar to the one described previously with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

The mechanism for releasing the wedge devices 120 comprises a hardened steel pin 130 operated by a hydraulic ram 131. The wedge devices are operated through a fulcrumed lever 132 actuated by a ram 133.

The roof and any floor built about the columns at a level just above the foundations may have secured thereto, by hinge units, wall panels built on the horizontal and adapted to swing progressively downwards through arcuate paths as the roof or floor is elevated, until the wall sections are vertical.

A unit includes a part which travels upwardly through an arcuate path as a floor is raised and is forced into a slot provided therefor in the lower end of the wall panel thereabove, and filled with an expanded polystyrene infill which is crushed by the entering hinge part.

Diagonal dowels or bolts are finally driven through the upper wall panel and the hinge part to provide a permanent connection.

The column cores could, of course, be of any desired cross section, other parts being modified to suit FIGS. 8 and 9.

The invention is applicable to the extension of columns in directions other than vertically upwards as in building, for example vertically downwards as in drilling and horizontally as in pipe-laying.

I claim:

1. A method of constructing a building comprising mounting a plurality of column hoisting apparatuses at spaced points at the building site, said column hoisting apparatuses each comprising vertically aligned first and second handling devices and lifting means for effecting relative vertical movement of said first and second handling devices, comprising the steps of feeding steel column sections in succession to said hoisting apparatuses, joining said steel column sections in end-to-end relation to form columns, operating said first handling devices in first positions to grip said column, operating said lifting means to raise said first handling devices and therewith said columns relative to said second handling devices, operating said second handling devices to grip said columns, releasing said first handling devices from said c01- umns, whereby said columns are supported by said second handling devices, moving said first handling devices relative to said second handling devices back to said first positions, securing a roof and a plurality of floors to said column at a single level and in succession during intervals between the raising of said columns, whereby said roof and said floors are raised by said columns from said single level in succession and spaced apart, providing walls between said roof and said floors, constructing a foundation, and supporting said columns on said foundation after said columns have been fully raised.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gripping of each of said columns by each of said first and second handling devices includes disposing relatively movable wedge portions in contact with each of at least two opposite zones of said column.

3. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gripping of said columns by said first and second handling devices includes urging wedge members by hydraulic Pressure into wedging engagement with said columns.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the gripping of said columns by said first and second gripping devices includes using wedge members in gripping engagement with the columns, and retaining the wedge members around the columns by yoke and tie assemblies, said yoke and tie assemblies being dismantled after erection of the columns.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, including sensing the upward movement of each of said columns to facilitate synchronization of the elevation of said columns.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, including guiding said columns above said hoisting apparatuses to provide lateral support for the columns.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, including feeding said steel column sections to said hoisting apparatuses from pits below said hoisting apparatuses.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, including joining a plurality of said columns into a single structural system by connecting said columns together.

9. A method of constructing a building, a plurality of jacks at spaced points about a building site, feeding steel column sections in succession through said jacks, joining said steel column sections in end-to-end relation to form vertical columns, operating said jacks to raise said columns, securing a roof and a plurality of floors to said column at a single level and in succession during intervals between the raising of said columns, whereby said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Wilson 254-31 Stokes 24-2635 Von Heidenstam et al.

254-105 Snowalter et a1. 61-465 Messenger 52-126 X Goldberg 52-126 Pluckebaum 52-745 X Herolf 52-745 Adler 52-745 FOREIGN PATENTS France.

10 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED C. PERI-1AM, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

